0887. Dire Straits
Dire Straits

Things that often signifies a debut album (besides being eponymous), are a couple of really strong songs and that the band's still trying to find their form.

Here, on Dire Straits, we have Down To The Waterline and Sultans Of Swing opening their respective sides of the LP, the latter a mega-hit that's still in heavy rotation, the former a semi-hidden gem (in that it's not hidden at all, it's right at the start of the album, but seldom mentioned as far as I know).

There's also the finding form-part in that this is a good bit more country than Brothers In Arms, and Mark Knopfler's singing hasn't set on the sluggish tone we all love and adore (or at least find charming), so there's a couple of tracks where they sound nothing special.

Still. All in all it's an okay album and it's no wonder Sultans Of Swing became a hit.